I stated on our not-very-political personal blog that I was a daily reader of the on-line Dilbert cartoon. Recently, the folks at www.dilbert.com upgraded their site to a nice new interactive format. One of the many new features is an animated cartoon strip. Another feature challenges the reader to produce a better punch line than Scott Adams, the artist that produces Dilbert.

Which brings me to this little animation, “The Knack,” that pokes a little fun at some of us who are a bit on the nerdy side. I’m not sure where this originated, since I got it in an email from an associate. At any rate, I think it’s worth the one-minute run time to learn about little Dilbert’s “Knack.”

After today’s target practice, we did the usual strip and clean routine for all the guns. I took this photo of the Remington 870 broken down into pieces. After looking at it later, it occurred to me that this is the way they would have you store your long guns in Washington, D.C. According to the regulations there, you may own a shotgun but it must be stored disassembled while in your home.

“‘Scuse me, Mr. intruder, while I go and put my shotgun together so I can defend my home.”

Hopefully, the Supreme Court will rectify the D.C. gun insanity in the near future. I also am hopeful that some of that goodness will rub off on some similar gun insanity in other places, especially California.

This week my signed hard-cover copy of Michael Yon’s “Moment of Truth in Iraq” arrived. Today, I started reading it while enjoying a spring day on our patio.

We have been supporting Michael since his first foray into Iraq. We will continue to do so.

From today’s Michael Yon Blog:

We have sold all 5,200 signed copies of my new book Moment of Truth in Iraq, but I am making a special trip very soon to the printer to sign 2,000 more. I apologize for the slight delay in shipping. Once I have signed the additional books they will be shipped immediately.

Also, Amazon.com has been sold out, but a couple of large shipments are on their way, and Amazon will have books again soon. Moment of Truth hit #6 on the Amazon Bestseller List and then went out of stock. Bad timing!

It’s great to be back in America, but I got measured today for new body armor and helmet. Won’t be long until I am back over there.

Have a great weekend.

Michael

Damsel got this nice photo of a vintage Beech 18 as it flew overhead today. She says that the sky was filled with nice wispy clouds all day and it was pretty nice. Click on the image for the 800×600 pixel image.

For me, the B-18 is a nostalgic symbol of my days in Naval Aviation. I flew co-pilot in one of these for a former Blue Angel pilot who invited several sailors to join him on a currency flight. Later in my (short) Navy career, I maintained avionics on these and other reciprocating (piston) engine airplanes and helicopters. The military designation for the Beech 18 is C-45.

Wikipedia has this and more about this venerable aircraft.

The Beechcraft Model 18, or “Twin Beech”, as it was better known, is a 6-11 place, twin-engine, low-wing, conventional-gear aircraft that was manufactured by the Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas. This model saw service during and after World War II in a number of versions including the United States Army Air Forces C-45 Expeditor, AT-7 Navigator, AT-11 Kansan, and for the United States Navy, UC-45J Navigator and the SNB-1 Kansan. An estimated aggregate total time in service for the aircraft time is in excess of 20,000,000 hours of flight time.

The Beech 18 is the most modified US-certified aircraft design, with over 200 FAA approved Supplemental Type Certificates on record for the aircraft.

The aircraft uses have included aerial spraying, sterile bug release, fish seeding, dry ice cloud seeding, aerial fire fighting, airborne mail pick up and drop, ambulance service, numerous movie productions, skydiving, freight, gun and drug smuggling, engine test bed, skywriting and banner tow. A number of Model 18s were operated as passenger aircraft, The Model 18 was also the first aircraft flown by Philippine Airlines, Asia’s first and oldest airline. Many are now in private hands as highly prized collectibles.

In addition to flowers blooming and warmer weather, the birds that live in the area around our home begin showing their spring behaviors. This mockingbird sits atop a power pole in back, or a nearby tree and does his imitation of countless bird calls while flapping and flitting, doing his mating song and dance.

From early in the morning until the last light of evening, his chirps and warbles can be heard throughout the neighborhood. Mockingbirds are very pretty birds as well.

I didn’t know that atmospheric gravity waves existed - at least not by that name - until I read the NASA article, “Gravity Waves Make Tornadoes.” I knew that gravity waves on a cosmological scale exist that are generated by high-density stars or black holes. Gravitational waves have been indirectly detected by observing deep space events, but have yet to be detected on Earth.

Anyhow, getting back to the atmospheric gravity waves, these are generated in the troposphere by frontal systems or by airflow over mountains. This interesting time-lapse video demonstrates the motion of gravity waves as they propagated over Iowa in 2006.

For a moment it was fun to think that our Sacramento Gun and Ammo Grabbers might be overruled by Federal mandate . . . but it’s probably going to be DOA in the House.

Image - A California-educated gun protester.

U.S. Representative John Boozman (R-AR) today introduced bipartisan legislation that protects the rights of gun owners. The Secure Access to Firearms Enhancement (SAFE) Act allows law-abiding citizens who can legally carry guns in their home state to carry all across the country.

“The right to bear arms shouldn’t end at a state’s border,” Boozman said. “This legislation is key to giving gun owners the rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.”

The SAFE Act will replace laws that only establish reciprocity between gun control states forcing gun owners to get carry permits before they bring their firearms into neighboring states.

“Growing up in Arkansas where it’s not uncommon to see gun rights held in high regard, I never felt like there was any potential for questioning this right,” Boozman said. “I feel very strongly that this law is needed to address national gun right concerns.”

Gun Owners of America, a non-profit lobbying organization formed in 1975 to preserve and defend the Second Amendment rights of gun owners is a proponent of the SAFE Act.

“Americans can travel from state to state with their driver’s licenses. Now, it’s time to do the same thing with our concealed carry permits. Kudos to Rep. Boozman for introducing this reciprocity bill,” said Executive Director of Gun Owners of America, Larry Pratt.

The SAFE Act has 33 bipartisan original cosponsors.

These lovely flowers just opened today. We have had some of these outdoors, but this one was in the loft upstairs. I brought it down to where the sunlight comes in from overhead where I took this shot. Click on the image for the 1024×768 version in the image viewer.

More proof that “wheel guns are purdy,” as asserted by Ride Fast and Shoot Straight. Thanks for the link Ride ‘n’ Shoot!

Ride ‘n’ shoot also has some practical information about insane California politicians.

The Sun is at solar minimum these days. That is, the eleven year solar cycle is passing through the period of lowest activity. Yet there is this spectacular activity revealed by the STEREO (Ahead) solar probe in this video from the SOHO website.

A close-up of the Sun from the STEREO (Ahead) spacecraft showing a pair of active regions (that appear as brighter regions) with some interesting activity over a two-day period (April 5-6, 2008). Two surges of material burst out from the region to the left, and the second surge appears to break away from its magnetic bindings.

Not long after, particles from one area along the Sun’s edge rise up and, following unseen magnetic field lines, connect with another area before material above each area spirals alone. None of these events caused any solar storming.

It never ceases to amaze me that our stellar companion is downplayed by the left in its contribution to global climate.